Suction cleaner



Dec. 3, 1940. H. s. DEMAREE SUCTION CLEANER Filed Aug. 5, 1936 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Early Sflemaree 03141045. M

ATTORNEY H. S. DEMAREE SUCTION CLEANER Filed Aug. 5, 1936 2 Sheets-$heet2 ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 3, 1940 UNITED STATES SUCTION CLEANER Harry S.Demaree, Chicago, Ill., assignor to The Hoover Company, North Canton,Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application August 5, 1936, Serial No.94,360

2 Claims.

This invention relates to suction cleaners, and particularly to suctioncleaners of the type embodying means for reducing the noise of operationcaused by air currents; In a general way,

the invention comprises the provision of a suction cleaner in which amuflier is attached to the cleaner outlet and constitutes a part of thehandle by which the cleaner is directed over the iioor covering to becleaned, a dust bag being provided which has a mouth attached to theupper end of the muffler, so that the exhaust outlet of the cleaner, therigid muffler, the dust bag and the handle move together as a unit.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a suction cleaner bywhich the noise of the air currents will be muffled without undueincrease in bulk of the machine as a whole and without making itcumbersome in handling or in appearance. A further object of theinvention is to provide a construction of this type in which a dust bagmay readily be connected to, or detached from, the outer end of themuiller; A still further object is to provide such a structure in whichthe mufller portion of the handle is separable from the cleaner outletand also from the rest of the handle, to facilitate shipment. A stillfurther object of the invention is the provision of a dust filteringbag, and suitable supporting means therefor, such that the dust willcollect in the lower end of the bag, away from the main air stream andclose to the handle pivot point, so as not to disturb the balance of themachine, and which can be emptied from the upper end. Still furtherobjects of the invention and features of novelty will be apparent uponreading of the accompanying specification when read in connection withthe attached drawings to which it relates, and in which: s

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of a suction cleaner embodying theinvention, certain parts being broken away;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view in front elevation of the body ofthe suction cleaner shown in Fig. l, certain of the parts being brokenaway;

Fig. 3 is a still further enlarged'fragmentary view, in centrallongitudinal section, of part of the structure shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a reduced fragmentary sectional view taken on the line H ofFig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a view in side elevation, similar to Fig. l, but showing theupper portion of the halldle permanently connected to the tubularportion thereof which acts as a muffler;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary plan view of part of the structure shown in Fig.5;

Fig. 7 is a view. in side-elevation, similar to Figs. 1 and 5, butshowing a still further modified embodiment of the tubular portion ofthe handle and the attachment of the upper portion of the handlethereto.

In each of the embodiments shown in the drawings, a portion of thehandle is in the form of an enlarged flared tube detachably secured atits end to the outlet of the cleaner body. The invention is shown asembodied in a suction 10 cleaner having a motor arranged with its axistransverse to the direction of movement of the cleaner, but it will beappreciated that the invention can be utilized in suction cleaners ofother forms. In the structure disclosed a downwardly 15 facing nozzle IIis carried-by a frame I! which is supported by spaced pairs of front andrear wheels I3 and I4, respectively, so that the nozzle is held slightlyabove the carpet or other floor covering to be cleaned. A driving motorI5 is 20 positioned with its axis parallel to the nozzle, and detachablycarries at one end a pulley l6, and at its other end a suction-creatingfan [1. A powertransmitting belt 18 connects the pulley IE to anagitator H, which is mounted for rotation in the 25 nozzle H, and thefan ll, in the normal operation of the cleaner, serves to draw air intothe nozzle l I and discharge it through a discharge outlet 20, which isan integral extension of a combined outer motor casing and fan chamber2|, within which 30v the motor 15 is fixedly secured. The motor [5 maybe inserted into the outer casing 2| through one end thereof and held inplace therein by a understood that the flange 24 extends in a hellcaldirection for part of the circumference. The eye of the fan chamber 26is formed in a plate 45 21 secured by screws 28, or similar means, tothe flange 25. The nozzle II has upwardly and rearwardly extending,integral side chann ls 29 and 30, the former housing the belt l8 andthelatter acting as a conduit from the nozzle to the eye of 50 the fanchamber. These side channels are flanged to receive screws ll, or othermeans, for attaching the nozzle structure as a whole to the frame 12,sealed bearings 32 and 33 being provided whereby the motor l5, includingthe pulley l6 and fan I1, and the outer motor and fan casing 2| aremounted for rotation as a unit relative to the nozzle II with its sidechannels 28 and 30 and the frame I2. The front wheels l3 are mounted onthe end of a crank shaft the angular position of which is controlled bya member 34 having an adjusting nut 35 by which the shaft and the wheelsmay be adjusted to control the height of the nozzle lips above thesurface to be cleaned. The combined motor and fan casing 2| is providedwith a notched sector 36 which is engaged by a roller 31 on the end of aspring pressed arm 38 pivoted to the frame |2, so that the motor casingand discharge outlet will be releasably held in a vertical or ahorizontal position, or may be moved freely within a limited range ofintermediate positions. The outer walls of the sidechannels 29 and 30are provided with apertures covered by detachable cover plates 39 and40, the former permitting access to the belt, and the latter providingaccess to the fan and for attachment of a dusting tool hose connectionto the eye of the fan, if desired.

This structure is generally shown in British Patent No. 412,894,accepted July 5, 1934 and sealed September 20, 1934, and the presentinvention has to do with combining in such. a structure, or in anysuitable suction cleaner having a pivoted discharge outlet, a'muillerconstruction which constitutes a part of the handle by which the cleaneras a whole may be moved about over the floor covering to be cleaned.

The discharge outlet 20 terminates in a flange 4|, to which a tubularmuiiler 42 is attached by bolts 43, or other suitable means, passingthrough flange 4| and a flange on a ring 44 at the end of the muiiler.The muiller 42 is preferably formed of sheet metal and secured by rivetsor other suitable means to the flanged ring 44.

The mufller casing 42 is preferably frustroconical, the surface beingpreferably inclined at an'angle of approximately '1 degrees to thelongitudinal axis. At its outer end it carries a reinforcing ring 45,secured thereto by rivets or 45 similar means, and flanged to receivestuds 48 to which a bag ring 41 is detachably secured by nuts 48. Asshown, a bag 49, of cloth, is provided with a mouth which is secured tothe bag ring 41 by a clamping ring 50 which is sewed 50 in the hem ofthe bag mouth, but it will be understood that a bag of paper, or othersuitable dust filtering and dust retaining material may be used andprovided with suitable means for attaching it to the ring 45. The bag 49is formed 5:5 with a downwardly extending pocket, secured at its lowerend by snap fasteners 5|, or similar means, to the lower end of themufller casing, and folded about the bottom portion of the mufiiercasing 42. The upper end of the bag 49 is 60 provided with a wide mouththrough which the bag may be emptied, the material of the bag ad jacentthe mouth being gathered into folds so that such folded mouth can beslid laterally into a spring-clip 52 which will hold the mouth closed 65and support the upper end of the bag, such clip being attached by aspring 53, or similar means, to the upper end of a handle portion 54. Asshown more clearly in Fig. 3, the handle portion 54 is detachablysecured by screws 55 to the upper 70 end of the muiiler casing 42 andits reinforcing ring 45. The handle portion 54 is hollow and preferablycurved at the top, and carries a switch retaining plate 58 which alsoacts as an anchor for a. power-supplying electric cable 51, the wires 758 extending from the switch down inside of the handle portion 54 to aplug member 59 in the lower end thereof, for electrical attachment to aplug 60 which is located within the muifler casing 42 and held in placetherein by a screw 6|.

A similar plug is located in the lower end of the 5 muiiler casing 42,the wires G3 connecting such plugs 80 and 82 being positioned againstthe inner surface of the muffler casing and preferably provided withsealing washers 64 of soft rubber, or other suitable material. The plug60 is held in J place'by a clamp member 65 of channel shape and engagedby the screw 6|. A plug 66 is likewise located in a channel 61 in theoutlet extension of the casing 2|, which channel communicates with aspace in the outer motor casing 2| 15 through which the wires 88 fromthe plug 66 may be extended to the motor 15, it being understood thatthe channel 61 does not communicate with the discharge passageway 20 ofthe fan casing portion of the casing 2|. A seal- 20 ing washer 65 ofsoft rubber preferably surrounds the plug 66 and the wires 68, and itwill be understood that the plug 46 is provided with suitable contactsfor establishing connection with the contacts of the plug 52 when themuffler cas- 5 ing 42 is connected to the discharge outlet 20.

A thick lining 10 of sound-deadening material, such as sponge rubber,felt or other suitable material, is positioned within the muiiler casing42, covering substantially the entire inner sur- 30 face thereof, therings 44 and 45 being preferably formed with channels into which theends of the lining 10 may be compressed.

In the embodiment shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the mufller casing 1| isprovided with a channeled, 35 flanged ring 12, similar to the ring 44,and secured to the flange 4| of the outlet 20 by bolts 43. The upper endof the mufller casing 1| is provided with a channeled reinforcing ring13, adapted to receive a spring wire 14 which is adapt- 10 ed to becontracted therein by a lever 15, such wire and lever being carried byaring 16 which is insert-ed in the bag mouth and to which the bag mouthis secured by a clamping wire 11. When the wire 14 is expanded it can beengaged 45 over the end of the channeled reinforcing ring 13 and thelever 15'may then be moved to contract such wire 14 into the channel inthe ring 13, and thereby secure the mouth of the bag 18 to the mufllercasing; The bag 18 is preferably of 50 the same shape and constructionin other particulars as the bag 49 shown in Fig. 1, and the easing 1| islined with sound-deadening materialg 19, as in the prior modification.The upper handle portion 80 is rigidly and permanently 55 connected to asocket in a yoke 8|, the arms of which are engaged against the sides ofthe casing 1| and secured thereto at 82 by welding, or other suitablemeans. The handle portion 80 carries a switch plate 83 and the conductorcord extends 50 within the handle portion and is secured against theinner surface of one arm of the yoke 8|, entering the upper end of thecasing 1| at 84 and extended between the sound-deadening material. 19and the inner surface of the casing 1| to a 65 plug at the lower end ofthe casing 1|, similar to the plug 82 shown in Fig. 3. A cord clip 85 ispreferably carried by one arm of the yoke 8|, upon which the cable 51may be stored when the cleaner is not in use.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 7, a modifled form of muiller casing isshown .which is curved slightly in a downward direction at its upper endand provided with a flange 81 to receive a bag ring secured thereto bynuts 40, as in the embodiment shown in Fig. 1. In this embodiment, theupper handle portion 88 is secured in a socket 89 by a rivet 90 or othersimilar means, the socket 89 being spread laterally to cover a portionof the curved top of the casing 86 and secured thereto by rivets 9|, bywelding it thereto, or'in any other suitable manner. The cable 92leading irom the switch is extended down within the hollow handleportion 88 and enters the muiiier casing 86 at the point 93 and fromsuch point between the sound-deadening material 94 and the muillercasing 86 to a plug at the lower end of the muiiler casing, as in theembodiment shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

It will be apparent that in the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 to 4 thehandle is formed in two sections detachable from each other and from thebody of the cleaner, whtich will permit compact packaging of thecleaner, and that in an of the embodiments disclosed the detachablehandle is formed in part as a tubular casing for sound-deadeningmaterial, to the upper end of which casing the bag is detachablysecured. The bag is so formed that the dirt filtered from the air streamwill accumulate in the lower pocket, out of the way of the air streamdischarged from the fan through the discharge outlet 20, and the bag maybe conveniently emptied through the large opening at the upper endthereof after such end of the bag has been detached from its retainingclip. I

What is claimed is:

L'In a suction cleaner, the combination of suction-creating meansincluding a fan chamber rotative about a horizontal axis and having aradially disposed exhaust outlet, a. rigidtubular member mounted at saidoutlet and forming a sound-reducing extension thereof, a. short handlefixed to said tubular member, and a filter bag attachedat its ends tosaid tubular exten-' sion and handle respectively and having an inletconnection intermediate its ends adapted for attachment tothe outer endof said tubular extension.

2. In a suction cleaner, the combination of suction-creating meansincluding a fan chamber rotative about a horizontal transverse axis andhaving a radially disposed outlet, a tubular mufller forming anextension of said outlet, a handle fixed to the uppermost outer edgeportion of said muiller, and a filter bag removably supported beneathsaid muiiler and handle and having an endwise opening inlet intermediateits ends adapted for detachable connection with the outer end of saidextension.

HARRY S. DEMAREE.

